Strong Enough
by Vamptress RayZor
Summary: She had grown tired of sleeping alone in their bed, of hearing him leave every night for another girl. Yet she still loved him with all her heart. How does Irvine react when he finds out that Selphie's leaving for Esthar with Squall and never returning?


_Wytor_**BAM**

She had grown tired of watching him go out every night with a new girl. It started out with Quistis, and then moved to that girl Zell liked, and then he had moved on to Rinoa. Emerald eyes watched him every night, never crying over him but desperately wanting to. If he had known that she felt him move from their bed, that she watched him dress, that she still loved him with all her heart…

Selphie Tilmitt was strong, much stronger than most would have ever thought. She never cried until that day, that last day in Balamb…

* * *

"Sefie!" 

She turned her round emerald eyes to look at the cowboy that was running after her. She thought about turning away but could not force herself to do so.

"What are you doing, Sefie? Quistis just told me that you're going away… That you and Squall were reassigned to the garden in Esthar."

She nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, sounding ever-so-slightly hurt.

"You weren't in our room last night," she replied. "I think her name was Candace last night. Night before that was that bubble gum blonde. Rinoa the night before…" Her tone was still the forced happiness that she had played up since the night that she had heard another woman's moans coming from her room. Since the night that she sat in Squall's room until she watched Quistis walk by, fixing her hair as she went, trying to look so composed.

"Sefie," she heard him say as she turned away. "Please… Sefie…" That nickname made her cheeks flush in anger. "Selphie!" he called out as she reached the gates. She smiled warmly at Squall, who was waiting for her. "I love you!"

She whirled around and waited for him to walk closer. "You never loved me, Irvine. Never. If you had, then you would have never done what you did. You're just trying to save face now." Her tone had taken a demented twist that he had never heard before. She was angry but calm… It reminded him of Squall.

"Sefie," he started but Squall stepped up.

"Leave her alone, Irvine."

Squall stood in front of the petite young woman, looking as if he was defending the woman that he loved. Irvine took his cowboy hat off and smoothed his ponytail. Thoughts flew through his mind, but only one shone through.

"Is this why you're going to Esthar?" he asked, voice suddenly hoarse. "Because of… of Squall?"

Selphie stepped up and wrapped her arms around Squall's leather-encased arm. "You had Quistis that night and I was scared and hurt and I had nobody to turn to, nowhere to go… Squall and Rinoa were more than happy to let me stay there until she was gone. One night became two, then three, then I walked into their room and Squall was alone. That night you had Rinoa… And it was too much. Squall couldn't take it, I couldn't take it, and I suddenly had someone to talk to."

Irvine let the images of Squall with Selphie fly through his mind. Of her moans being elicited by someone other than himself. His face grew red and he stared her down. "You cheated on me. You lied and cheated and destroyed our trust!"

Squall rolled his eyes. "You idiot. We haven't done anything."

Irvine looked to Selphie. "It's true. You're the one who lied. The one who cheated." The words began coming quicker and more emotion filled. This was the Selphie he knew. "You destroyed our relationship and our trust! You desecrated our **bed**! Yet you're trying to lay the blame on me? How stupid are you, Irvine? You had Quistis, Zell's crush, Rinoa, Candace, the bubble gum blonde, that red head teacher's aide! I don't want to hear anything about lying! I always told you where I was and what I was doing… And I never once lied!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "You !"

Squall took the woman into his arms and shot Irvine a look that sent shivers down the cowboy's spine. "You need to leave."

Irvine swallowed hard and nodded. "I'm sorry, Sefie," he muttered, setting his hat on the floor in front of her. "I've always loved you, Sefie. I'm so sorry…"

He turned and walked away as Selphie's emerald eyes looked up. She bit her lip and looked at Squall for guidance. His eyes told her to stay even as his arms loosened their grip. She slipped from his grasp and grabbed the hat from the floor, running over to Irvine.

"Irvy!" she yelled, running as fast as she could to catch up to his long strides. He turned around and she was in his arms. Her mouth found his and that kiss lasted an eternity. "I still love you," she whispered into his ear.

That said, she pulled away, plopped the hat back onto his auburn hair, and walked back to Squall, who nodded as she picked up her duffel. They walked out of Balamb Garden, out of Irvine Kinneas's life, forever.

FIN


End file.
